


A Lifetime of Love (and LOVE)

by MageOfLight



Series: i swear, this was supposed to just be poly skeleheat sin. now there's an extended story. huh. [1]
Category: Undertale
Genre: Dadster, More tags to be added, baby bones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-10 00:20:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8919244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MageOfLight/pseuds/MageOfLight
Summary: A collection of short fics detailing the lives of the Underfell skelebros before the incident that lead Red to living with the Swapbros.Chapters 1-5: Gaster ArcFic has now entered Prompt Mode. Comment on the last chapter posted with prompts if you are curious about anything. :)





	1. W.D. Gaster - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Sans and Papyrus met Gaster, Chief Royal Scientist. Sans is 11, Papyrus is 7. They've been on their own since Sans was 7. Sans is still taller than Pap at this point, but not by much.
> 
> Despite Papyrus being just as old as Sans was when they were orphaned, Sans has been trying to shelter his little brother and allow him to retain his innocence. Sans learned about the harshness of the world at an early age and had to grow up too soon. He never wanted that for his baby bro.

Sans swayed slightly, the tiny room of their current shelter spinning as he struggled to remain standing. Stars, he felt like shit, but he knew they couldn't remain there. It was too dangerous and Papyrus was still too young to understand that they needed to keep quiet.  
  
"...brother? Are you okay?" Papyrus' unusually quiet voice brought him out of his thoughts and he jumped, nearly falling over again. He looked over and forced a smile, patting his brother on the head.  
  
"i'm fine, paps. we really need to get moving. we need food, and we need to find a safe place to stay for a couple hours," he told the smaller skeleton. Truthfully, he wasn't fine at all. He felt hot and his joints all ached. His vision bent and twisted funny, making his heavy head pound with a building headache... but he couldn't stop. He had his baby brother to worry about. He couldn't give in to a little sickness at this point.  
  
Together, the pair of children made their way out from the tiny shelter, hands clasped loosely as they made their way from one hiding spot to another, Sans stumbling weakly from time to time. They had no luck finding any food, but for once, Papyrus didn't complain at all about being hungry. Sans tried hard not to feel relieved about this, even as his own soul twinged in hunger as they rested in a little hole under a building.  
  
Papyrus watched as his brother fell asleep, a worried frown twisting the young skeleton's mostly flat teeth. Sans was always ever watchful, never getting enough sleep, not even when they were in a safe hole like this one. The flush on his face and the way he'd been limp and dragging himself everywhere that day spoke volumes. Sans was sick. Very sick. Even a babybones like himself could clearly see that. Sans needed help and Papyrus would do his very best! He was a very great monster, after all. If he couldn't help his big brother, it would be a great failing.  
  
For now, he could start by finding food. Steeling himself, Papyrus peeked out of the hole. No one around, just like Sans had taught him. He nodded to himself, then climbed out and replaced the cover. He was good at sneaking, even if Sans didn't think so most of the time, and now he'd prove it! He just... had to be quiet and not giggle this time. Thinking of his brother laying in their tiny shelter, breathing horribly uneven as he panted in his sleep was enough to keep any amusement from bubbling up. He didn't make a sound as he snuck around, making sure to leave tiny, nearly invisible marks for himself so he could find his way back easily.  
  
He couldn't find any food. Every trash bin he found was already picked over, the meager food he might have found from more well-off monsters already taken by other street monsters like him and his brother. Quietly, he sunk against the white wall of a huge building and buried his face in his knees, sobbing quietly. How was he supposed to help Sans now?  
  
"Are you alright, child?" Papyrus shot his head up, staring up, and up, and up at the imposing monster that had stopped a couple feet away from him. Oh no. He'd been seen. Sans would be so mad if he found out.  
  
...but the monster's expression was surprisingly kind. He looked worried, and not at all scary, even if he was really tall. He was even another skeleton like him and his brother! When the tall monster crouched down to be less imposing, Papyrus made his choice. He had a way of helping Sans now, he was sure of it! "I'm fine... but my brother isn't. He's sick and he needs food, but we couldn't find any today," Papyrus told him in a rush. The other monster looked alarmed, then nodded.  
  
"Stay here, my boy. I will go get something for you and your brother," he told Papyrus, then stood and headed around the side of the building.  
  
When he returned, it was with a bag small enough for Papyrus to easily carry, which he handed over with a soft smile. "I figured you would not let me go with you to where you left your brother. So here, take this." He handed it over, and Papyrus, almost timidly, took it. It was a little ragged, looking like something that might have been found in the dump, but it was heavy. Papyrus opened it and was startled to find it was loaded with fresh food and bottles of some sort of liquid.  
  
"Thank you, mister!" Papyrus beamed up at the monster, who smiled back, watching as Papyrus closed the bag and swung it up onto his back. It was nearly too heavy, but the Great Papyrus wasn't going to be stopped by this! He had to get back, and soon.  
  
"I do hope your brother recovers well. If you boys need any help, though, my doors are open for you," the monster told Papyrus, expression serious. Papyrus canted his head, staring up at the monster. His eyelights focused on Papyrus were a dark blue. Wasn't that... integrity? Papyrus was sure he remembered that. Sans had told him blue souls were good people, though. He could trust blue souls more than anyone else. Smiling brightly, he nodded, then darted off.  
  
When he got back, having had to sneakily dodge some nasty-looking monsters who'd been fighting over a bit of food, he was dismayed to find Sans still sleeping. Carefully, he replaced their cover, then slipped his bag off his shoulders. He pawed through until he pulled out a bottle of what he assumed to be water until he opened it. The drink smelled sickly-sweet, and he wrinkled his nasal ridge. It would do for Sans for now. Like Sans often did for him whenever they found something to drink, he took a sip of it first. It was way too sweet, but it didn't seem to do anything bad to him, so he carefully urged his sleeping brother to drink it until he let out a quiet groan and turned his head away.  
  
He was still sleeping, though. Papyrus let out a worried sigh, and replaced the cap before eating something himself and going to sleep.

\--------------------------------------------

Sans slept through the next day, and the next after that, and he just seemed to be getting worse instead of better, his bones turning a sickly shade of yellow-grey. Papyrus was out of things to get his brother to consume as well, and his own supply of food was down to a few bites of bread. Nothing he did was helping Sans, and he was scared. Was Sans going to die? There was really only one thing he could do. He'd go to the nice monster that gave them food and beg him for help. Whatever he needed to do to make sure Sans would be okay... he'd do it.  
  
Papyrus waited until early morning, then snuck out of the hole. Thankfully, there was no one around this time of morning, and he was able to get out and disguise it again easily, a determined expression twisting his face as he snuck around, following his easy to miss trail back to the white building. Only, he didn't really know what to do from there. Where had the monster even come from? How had he known Papyrus was there? The little skeleton huffed slightly, and he walked along the wall until he turned the corner.  
  
Oh. There was a door. Not open, but its metallic surface glinted in the light of Hotland's magma. Was this where the kind monster had come from? He was kind of scared to knock. What if this was the wrong place? What if he'd come from somewhere else? Worried, and starting to get kind of scared, Papyrus sniffled, tears building at the edges of his sockets. What if he couldn't find the nice monster? Was Sans going to die?  
  
The door slid open with a quiet hiss, but Papyrus was too caught up in his own fearful thoughts to notice. Well, until he was being picked up, anyway. He let out a tiny, terrified yelp, struggling for a moment until he realized he recognized the voice of the monster now holding him in a gentle hug, petting his skull and whispering soothing platitudes. Papyrus couldn't help it, the kindness of the monster breaking whatever dam had been holding back all his fear from the past couple days. He babbled almost nonsensically against the adult's shoulder, talking about his brother and how scared he was until he was all cried out.  
  
"It will be okay, little one," the monster murmured kindly, though Papyrus could hear the worry in the older skeleton's voice. He wasn't as good at hiding it as Sans was, and Papyrus was getting good at picking up when Sans was really worried about something. "I know this is asking a lot, but will you show me where your brother is now?" he asked, and Papyrus hesitated before nodding. Sans would be mad at him later... but as long as he was still alive to _be_ mad, Papyrus was okay with that.  
  
The adult put him down, and Papyrus carefully lead the way back. The adult's height caused a few problems, early risers noticing them much easier, but bone attacks to the face from the apparently strong monster easily scared the would-be attackers off. Papyrus couldn't help but admire the monster. He didn't even kill anyone like he'd seen others do to each other! When they arrived, Papyrus fearlessly pushed the cover away, ducking into the hole. "Brother? I found someone to help... please wake up?" he called. But Sans didn't so much as stir.  
  
"Child, I am going to pull your brother from there. Please do not be alarmed," the adult called, speaking softly as he peeked in, a concerned frown on his face. He then reached out a hand glowing with blue magic. The magic wrapped gently around Sans, lifting him and pulling him out carefully. Papyrus gathered their meager things in the little bag he'd been given, then climbed out to see Sans already cradled carefully in the tall monster's arms, his hold delicate as he gave Sans a quick once-over. Finding something unfavourable, his face twisted to one of fear, and he knelt. "My boy, climb on my back and hold on tight. I do not mean to alarm you, but we must go quickly." His tone was short and clipped, and Papyrus didn't hesitate to obey, clinging like a monkey to the other skeleton's back before he stood and set off at a brisk pace.  
  
When they got back to the white building, the doors swished open to admit them. The adult didn't so much as even attempt to dislodge Papyrus, getting right to work on helping Sans. He didn't seem to even notice Papyrus' slight weight as he worked.  
  
When he finally stepped back, Sans was hooked to several machines, some of the connections glowing green, which Papyrus knew was healing magic. The evidence of it was in the fact that Sans' bones had taken on a slightly better colour, his breathing more even, and his face less flushed. Relief burned through Papyrus as he continued watching from his place on the tall monster's back. Well, at least until said monster sat down, putting himself sideways on the bench seat so that the young monster could let himself down on the bench behind him. Almost reluctantly, Papyrus let go and plopped down.  
  
"Is Sans going to be okay?" he asked after a moment of silence.  
  
"I am sure he will be. I have done all I can for him, but he is already looking better. Your brother has a remarkable will to live. I am sure you have something to do with that, though, my boy," he told Papyrus, looking down at him with a smile. After a moment, he frowned slightly. "I do not believe I have even told you my name, come to think of it," he muttered, then smiled again. "I am Doctor W.D. Gaster. I am the chief Royal Scientist for King Asgore."  
  
Papyrus frowned, suddenly worried. Sans had told him that the king was a bad person, that it was his fault they had to run and hide all the time. And this monster, Dr. Gaster, worked for the king? But he'd been kind and gave them food. He was also helping Sans. Honestly, Papyrus didn't know what to think. But for now, all he could do was let Dr. Gaster help, so while he wasn't sure it was safe to trust him after all, Papyrus smiled. "I'm the Great Papyrus!" he chirped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so everyone is aware, all the Gaster parts will be in chronological order. There might be some revisiting of Gaster time later, after I end this arc (...you'll know when i do), but anything after Gaster likely won't be in chronological order. I'll be putting the ages of the brothers in the notes of most of the chapters, so it'll be easier to tell what goes where.
> 
> In general, this is a fic where I write what I want, when I want, as long as it's canon to the series. THERE WILL BE SOME TERRIBLE THINGS. Papyrus is AWFUL to Sans later, and there'll be some detailing of things that went down between them. It's going to contain some very uncomfortable things, but I'll post warnings in the notes for people who want to avoid that stuff.
> 
> Also, yes, I know most people make Gaster have yellow or purple magic, but an Integrity-based Gaster made the most sense. Integrity would be the most trust-worthy soul type, and the only one a protective older brother would tell his babybones little bro to trust if they ever needed help. Pap would have been a little more leery if it were a Cyan soul, even though Sans is still Cyan himself at this point.


	2. W.D. Gaster - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans recovers under Dr. Gaster's watchful eye.

The first thing Sans noticed as he began waking up was that wherever he located was soft and warm with the steady hum of machines filling the silence. He tried to open his sockets, but they felt glued shut. He let out a soft groan, which seemed to prompt a flurry of activity around him. He felt a small hand squeeze his own. "Brother? Sans? Are you awake?" the owner of the hand asked. Papyrus. He squeezed back, though even that seemed to sap whatever strength he had, and he found himself unwillingly drifting off again. They had to move still, and they needed to find food...  
  
The next time he woke up, it was to his brother's small hand on the back of his skull, lifting it from wherever he was laying, and pouring little bits of liquid into his mouth. It was somewhat salty, warm, and honestly tasted really good. He hummed softly, and the liquid stopped. He heard the soft thunk of something being placed down, and then Papyrus' other hand was on his cheekbone. "...brother?" Sans fought back the fuzzy urge to let out a displeased sound and forced his sockets open. Papyrus' face, bones a clean, pale ivory instead of scuffed with dirt and dust, met his gaze.  
  
He tried to say something, but the sound came out garbled and faint. He was still so tired... Still, Papyrus beamed. "Get some more sleep, brother. We're safe, I promise." He should have felt alarmed, but... he was warm and comfortable and still had the flavour of whatever Papyrus had been feeding him in his mouth. He let sleep take him again.  
  
The third time he woke, the room was dim and quiet, the sounds of running machines quiet and distant. He felt... good. Not perfect, but better than he had in an absurdly long time. His soul felt light, energized. He sat up slowly, looking around. He'd been resting on a soft bed, covered in an equally soft blanket. Relief hit him like a brick as he spotted Papyrus laying in the next bed over, sleeping sprawled out and comfortable on the bed. Still, he had no idea where they were. This place couldn't be safe. Nowhere was safe, after all. He was about to swing himself out of bed to wake Papyrus and sneak out when the door swung open.  
  
He cringed as a monster who had to be three times his height entered the room carrying a tray. His face seemed to light up as he saw Sans sitting, a wide smile warming his skeletal face. "It is good to see you awake, Sans," he said softly. His voice was soothing, but Sans didn't trust it. "My name is Doctor W.D. Gaster. This is the recovery wing of my lab," Gaster told him.  
  
Sans narrowed his sockets, though he decided it would be a bad idea to act out at this moment, even as the monster walked closer. He set the tray down on a small, wheeled table, and Sans felt his soul ping in hunger as he saw and smelled the contents of the tray. "You have been asleep for nearly two weeks. Both myself and Papyrus were concerned. Though I did do my best to keep him positive, I am afraid I am not the best monster at masking how I am feeling." He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Anyway, you should eat and get some more sleep. You do look better, but you still have quite a ways to go."  
  
"why?" Sans asked, and the monster, Gaster, made an inquisitive sound, turning blue eyelights on Sans. Blue? Integrity? Huh. He hadn't seen an adult monster with anything but red magic in a long time... maybe that was why? And it could be why Papyrus had been so willing to trust this monster. Sans had told him that blue souls, like this monster's blue, could be trusted... "why are you helping us?"  
  
"Ah... I figured you would be asking that." Gaster sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed and bringing the tray into Sans' reach. "Eat, and I will talk." He paused as Sans sent a distrustful look at the food. "You and your brother have both been eating what I have been providing for the entire time you were sleeping. Would you like me to eat some of the food to prove it is safe, though?"  
  
"...you'd be willing to?" Gaster nodded, and Sans frowned, picking up the steaming bowl of soup, holding it out. Gaster took a spoonful without hesitation, and Sans felt his concern melt away. Ugh, blue souls. It was hard to distrust them. His father had been blue like this monster, hiding away with his mother and him until his mother had died from the strain of Papyrus' birth. That final burst of magic that Pap had needed to take form had stolen the last of her strength. His father had only lasted a few years after losing his bondmate and Papyrus didn't remember their father. Sans couldn't even remember his mother's face. Only her soul, the orange of Bravery like Papyrus', remained in his memory.  
  
Sighing, he shook off his thoughts, lifting the bowl to his mouth and drinking the broth. A hazy memory of his brother leaning over him with this exact taste in his mouth filtered in. It was good, and he soon found himself holding an empty bowl. Gaster laughed softly at his sudden enthusiasm, though it was not an unkind laugh. He sounded like his father had. Sans pushed the thought, and the sadness it brought, back fiercely. He couldn't start crying in front of this stranger. Instead, he turned his attention to the rest of the food on the tray. Some of it was obviously for Papyrus, but he was still hungry... "Eat as much as you would like, Sans. I can always get more for Papyrus later when he wakes up," Gaster said, and Sans nodded slowly, though he aimed an expectant look up at Gaster.  
  
"Ah, yes. You want to know why I am helping." Gaster sighed, rubbing the back of his skull. "I am a very old monster, Sans. I was a teenager when the barrier was erected, to give you a frame of reference." He paused, taking a breath. "In the past, our people were happy and peaceful. Even as hope started to dwindle and fade from our long imprisonment, we remained that way... and then the first human fell. Their name was Chara, and the king and queen adopted them and took them as a sibling for their son, Prince Asriel, and a symbol of hope for the people. For the first time in a very long time, monsters had reason to hope again. Chara may have been human, but they clearly loved monsters as much as the king and queen loved their people." Gaster closed his eyes, a sad look flitting across his face before he looked back at Sans.  
  
"Chara eventually became terribly ill and died of their affliction after a long period of suffering. While his parents were still grieving the loss, Prince Asriel took their soul and left the underground. I can only presume he meant to collect six more souls and free us... only for some reason, he took the body of his human sibling with him. Chara's body was not in good shape, thin and covered in sores from their illness. The humans likely thought that had been done to them by Prince Asriel. They attacked and he returned without any other souls. Considering the fact that the young prince was a gentle soul, there was no way he could have done what he needed to free us all in that manner." Gaster paused, clearly upset, and Sans took a couple bites of food, waiting for the tall skeleton to continue.  
  
"Prince Asriel died. The king went mad in his grief and declared war on the humans. He vowed that any other humans who fell down would be killed and their souls collected. Many of us older monsters, including the queen, did not agree with him. However, rather than continuing to try and convince him against his choice, the queen left and Asgore set about branding any monsters who took his queen's side as traitors. Many went into hiding with the queen after the king had several "traitors" dusted." Gaster shuddered. "The only reason I am here at all now is that I am the only one who knows the core well enough to maintain it, and he knows we cannot go without a power source now that we have it. At any rate, the point I desired to make with that story is that I do not agree with the king and he is not welcome here. It is a safe space for monsters like yourselves. I only wish to help those who need it. It was the reason I created the core in the first place, after all."  
  
Sans listened quietly as Gaster spoke, the only sounds that of him eating slowly, thoughtfully. The story made sense. He, of course, knew the story about the royal human child, his father having told it to him before he'd died. He sighed, then nodded slightly. "i believe you. i don't know why. i know i shouldn't trust you, but..." he looked up, cyan eyelights taking in Gaster's face. "so, what now?"  
  
"That... is honestly up to you, my boy. I would at least like you to stay until you are completely recovered, but you and your brother are welcome to stay as long as you would like after." Gaster smiled, placing a gentle hand on Sans' shoulder. He looked at it, browridges furrowed. He could feel Gaster's Intent in that gentle touch. He wanted... to protect them? This adult was like an open book. It was rather startling. No one was like that in the underground anymore.  
  
"...are you this open with everyone?" Sans asked, staring up at Gaster with a perplexed expression.  
  
"Not everyone, Sans. Just monsters I know I can trust," he replied, laughing softly before turning his expression serious. "Sans, you should know that even if you decide to leave, my doors will always be open for you and your brother. You can always come back for any reason."  
  
"i... thanks..." Sans replied, then yawned. Honestly, he didn't know what he was going to do. It seemed safe here and Papyrus deserved some stability instead of constantly being on the move, looking for food... but he didn't think he could just... accept the scientist's kindness, either.  
  
As if sensing Sans' apprehension, Gaster smiled and patted his shoulder. "Take as much time as you need to think, my boy. In the meantime, you look tired. You should get some more sleep." Sans looked up again, then nodded slowly, laying back on the bed. It was... nice, having someone else caring for him for once. He yawned again, then rolled onto his side, curled up, and let himself drift back off.

\--------------------------------------------

The next week was spent mostly resting, either laying in bed with a book, eating, or sleeping like the dead. Papyrus was always hovering nearby, either chattering to him when he was awake or working quietly on some complicated puzzle toy Gaster had produced to let him play with to keep him from getting bored. The more time Sans spent in the doctor's presence, the more he trusted him... but he still didn't know what to do.  
  
"bro...? do you like it here?" he asked, putting down his latest book (a complicated science book that had gotten mixed in with a pile of novels that Sans found remarkably interesting, despite not really understanding a lot of it) to look up at Papyrus curiously.  
  
Papyrus paused in his fiddling with his current puzzle to look up at Sans, smiling. "I do, brother! Dr. Gaster is so nice, and you... you don't ever have to go hungry making sure I eat enough!" Sans looked startled, and Papyrus narrowed his eyes. "Don't think I didn't notice you were hungry, brother," he commented, looking down. "I... believed you for a long time when you said you'd been eating as we picked through... but..."  
  
Sans was dismayed. He hadn't meant to let Papyrus know at all. How had he figured it out? He sighed, shaking his head. That wasn't important now. What was important was what they did from here out. If they were going to stay, he'd need to find some way of making himself useful. He wasn't going to let them become a burden for the scientist. Maybe he could run errands or something? He'd figure it out. He didn't think either Gaster or his little brother would let him set foot out of bed until he was completely better, anyway. "Sans?" Papyrus' worried tone brought the older brother out of his thoughts and he looked back over at the younger. "We're leaving once you get better, aren't we?"  
  
Sans sighed. "...no. you're right, babybones. it's good here, and doctor gaster seems pretty happy to have us around, anyway," he replied, smiling as Papyrus went from drooping to bright-eyed and beaming. He'd made the right choice. Now he just had to figure out how he was going to go about making himself useful so that Gaster wouldn't realize they were just freeloading and kick them out.


	3. W.D. Gaster - Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing of note to put here, other than... prepare for cute. :)  
> This is a happy chapter. Don't get used to it.

Finally, Dr. Gaster deemed Sans completely recovered and it was with much joy that he was able to climb out of the soft, comfortable bed without being scolded. Really, he'd been going utterly stir-crazy! The only thing that had kept him from getting more than just waspish at his confinement had been the books Dr. Gaster had constantly been bringing in for him, which, after discovering Sans with his nasal ridge buried in that first complicated science book, had included a fair number of similar books, some simple, some complicated. The young skeleton had taken to them like Papyrus had taken to the puzzle games the scientist had been providing.  
  
"So, Sans. Now that you are well... have you and your brother made a decision?" Gaster asked. The smile on his face looked forced, almost sad. It was as if he was foreseeing something he'd been dreading.  
  
Sans glanced at Papyrus, got a huge smile and a thumbs up from his little brother, then looked back at Dr. Gaster. "doc, if this wasn't something i'd been thinking about for over a month now, i wouldn't have known what the hell you were talking about," Sans quipped, and Gaster flinched slightly, then laughed sheepishly. Sans' smile fell a little, suddenly nervous. "...if you'll still have us, we'd like to stay." The smile that bloomed on Gaster's face at that wiped away Sans' nervousness. The adult skeleton was like an open book, and the child could see just how pleased Gaster was. He grinned.  
  
"Of course I will still have you! I had been hoping, honestly, but I did not want to force you if you did not want to..." He laughed, rubbing the back of his skull. "I had already prepared a proper room for you boys in the living quarters of the lab. There are a couple other monsters living there already, but I am sure you will get along well with them." The excitement radiating off the adult was enough to quell any worries Sans had, and soon enough, the two children were following Gaster out of the recovery wing, Sans carting along his pile of books (though Gaster had to carry one huge book that Sans honestly had trouble lifting all on its own due to his weaker bones) and Papyrus carrying his most recent puzzle.  
  
Gaster provided both of them with key cards attached to lanyards that hung around their necks, then took them down an elevator to a much lower level. The place was heavily air conditioned, the sounds of droning fans a constant hum in the lower labs, but neither boy gave it much mind, having a feeling that without the fans, this area would get very hot very fast. The lab was located in Hotland, after all.  
  
"Alyce? Alphys?" Gaster called. Moments later, two small lizard (or perhaps dragon?) monsters appeared from down one hall. The smaller of the pair who was dressed in a black and gold striped dress and a huge white labcoat gasped and darted over, beaming. "Hello, Alphys. These two are Sans and Papyrus. They will be living here from now on," Gaster told the yellow-scaled child as he knelt to be at the level of the children. That was something that Sans really liked about the blue-eyed skeleton. He never talked down to anyone and was always kind. It was... nice.  
  
"So these are the children you prepared the other room for, huh, Wing?" the other yellow-scaled monster asked, approaching as well. Although she was bigger, she was also wearing stripes, though her clothing consisted of a blue and grey t-shirt and a matching long blue skirt that nearly trailed on the floor. She wasn't wearing a lab coat, though it was clear on a second glance that the one Alphys wore likely belonged to the older of the pair.  
  
"Indeed," Gaster replied, smiling. "Sans, Papyrus, these two are Alyce and Alphys. Alyce is my live-in intern. They are sisters."  
  
"...wing?" Sans asked, raising a browridge. Gaster and the lizard sisters laughed, though Gaster was blushing faintly.  
  
"Lemme guess. You just introduced yourself as 'W.D. Gaster', right?" Alyce asked. Gaster's deepening blue flush was answer enough. She _cackled_. "This guy's full name is Wing Dings Gaster. You can see why he goes by W.D. Gaster, huh?" she was grinning teasingly at Gaster, and Sans pretty quickly decided he liked the older girl a lot.

\--------------------------------------------

Life soon grew pretty routine down in the labs. Sans and Papyrus had pretty much free reign to do as they pleased. Papyrus took to playing games with the various scientists that were allowed down in their area of the labs while Sans spent a good deal of time with the sisters, given their shared interest in science. Sans absorbed information like a sponge, and soon enough, he found himself helping out with simpler experiments, Alyce watching like a hawk to make certain he didn't get hurt. Gaster was pleased to have Sans working with him though, and seemed to enjoy having the skeleton children around to mentor.  
  
Nearly a year after being taken in by Gaster, Sans was startled to catch himself thinking of Gaster as his father. The twelve-year-old put down his book, staring blankly at the floor, his eyelights dim as he thought. Truly, he was happy for the first time in ages. Though he was sure Gaster hadn't meant to fill the role, he really was like Sans' father now. Alyce and Alphys also felt like family. A slightly younger sister (for Alphys was about half a year younger than him. She'd pouted when they discovered that Sans' birthday came first) and a bright older sister. He didn't feel like he had to be responsible for Papyrus anymore.  
  
Though he, of course, still took his duties as older brother seriously, he didn't feel like that job included being a father figure anymore. Papyrus had more people to look up to. The other scientists had even taken a shine to Papyrus... hell, even some of the ones that weren't even allowed down on this level had been charmed by his baby brother. Still, he found himself frowning slightly. He hadn't meant to get attached. All of this could be ripped from his hands at any time. Could he take that again? Could he handle losing his dad not once, but twice?  
  
He sighed softly, shaking his head. Well, it was too late for that. If the worst happened ( _if, not when,_ he reminded himself), he'd have to take it as it came. They'd be okay.  
  
"Sans?" ...well, speak of the devil... Sans found himself smiling without meaning to as he looked up.  
  
"yeah, dad?" Oh. He hadn't meant to say _that_ out loud... Gaster looked horribly startled and Sans flinched. Whoops. "er... uh... s-" he started, only to cut himself off in horror as he noticed tears gathering at the rims of Gaster's sockets. "oh, shit... i..." Fuck, he'd made the doc cry!  
  
"You... really think of me as your father...?" Gaster asked, voice wavering. Sans wilted, feeling horrible.  
  
"i... yes..." he replied slowly, looking down. _'stars, me and my big mouth...'_ he thought, only to find himself wrapped up in Gaster's long arms as the adult skeleton hugged him tightly.  
  
"You have no idea how happy that makes me, my child," Gaster said softly, and all the horrible thoughts vanished from Sans' head. Gaster couldn't lie himself out of a paper bag when it came to people he cared about. Hell, he'd seen Gaster lie to Asgore the one time he'd shown up at the public level of the lab while Sans was there, and he was sure the only reason the king didn't pick up on the fact that he'd been lied to was that he was too busy being angry and irrational. Honestly, Sans had been appalled that this was the guy who was ruling the underground. No wonder everything had gone to shit and the queen had run off.  
  
Once again shaking off his errant thoughts, Sans lifted his arms, hugging Gaster (his dad!) back and burying his face in the adult's shoulder happily. It felt nice to be enveloped in a hug like this. He felt safe. "Truthfully, Sans, I had been thinking of you and your brother as my sons since before you agreed to stay, but I did not want to push my luck. It was good enough that you decided to trust me and remain... this is more than I could have ever hoped for."  
  
Sans laughed softly. "paps has been calling you 'dad' when it's just been the two of us for a while now... i guess it was only a matter of time before i slipped up and said it around you. i've always kind of had a bit of a big mouth."  
  
"Papyrus, too?" Gaster asked, pulling back a little, though instead of letting go, he scooped Sans up, balancing him on his arm so that he and Sans remained at the same level.  
  
"...yeah. i think it was easier for paps because he doesn't remember our dad. he was still really little when dad... well..." Sans sighed and shrugged. Thinking about it made him sad, so he forced his thoughts back and smiled shakily at Gaster.  
  
Gaster simply smiled back and patted Sans gently on the shoulder. "I am honoured to be considered your father now, Sans," he said softly, and Sans found himself grinning. He couldn't wait to tell Papyrus about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...don't get attached to Alyce if you don't want to hurt real bad later. Alphys' big sister is Gaster's intern. She helps him with any big projects. Guess what that means for the sassy lizard teen? Nothing good, that's what.
> 
> I should note that the accent colour on their clothing corresponds to their current magic colour. Alphys doesn't switch from yellow to red until after the end of this arc. Alyce's primary trait is also integrity.
> 
> Oh, also, I'm not sure if anyone noticed or thought Gaster's speech pattern is a little strange... but in case you had noticed and just thought it was his own personal quirk... it is and it isn't. English is not his first language. He's the last of a line of skeletons who's first language was called "Hands". He says the name sounds stupid in English, though. Sans later jokes around and calls it "Wing Dings" after Gaster's first and middle name. It sticks and he never stops calling it that after, much to Gaster's private amusement. The reason I say that is because there's a large time jump coming, and that happens somewhere between this chapter and the next. But yeah, his speech is so formal sounding, even with people he cares about, because, well, English is a dumb language.
> 
> He actually teaches Red and Edge to speak and write in Hands. Spoken Hands is something most skeleton monsters pick up pretty easy, and it makes way more sense to them, with the way they hear language. To most monsters and humans, Hands sounds like bad dial-up noises. On the other hand, skeleton monsters hear actual words. Edge, sadly, forgets Hands entirely.


	4. W.D. Gaster - Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sans is 16, Papyrus is 12. They've been living as a family with Gaster and the lizard sisters for four years now, five if you include the first year before they were officially family.

"Boys?" Sans and Papyrus both perked up, looking over at the doorway where Dr. Gaster stood, smiling at them. Sans bookmarked and closed the thick science book he'd been reading and put it aside. Likewise, Papyrus put aside the puzzle he'd been working on (his own construction, which he was never really satisfied with no matter how complicated it got) and stood up. "I am finished with that surprise I had been making for you two," he told them. "Would you like to come see?"  
  
"Yeah!" Papyrus exclaimed, running over. Sans grinned, following his younger brother. When they'd both reached his side, Gaster motioned his adoptive sons to follow him.  
  
He lead them to his personal level of the lab, where normally not even Sans was allowed to go, let alone any of the other scientists. The labs down here were dim and gave off a mildly disturbing vibe, but Sans knew Gaster had been doing some rather dubious experimentation down here on Asgore's orders... things that often left him stressed and pacing in agitation. He pushed aside the shivers that ran down his spine, ignoring the feeling as Gaster lead them to a brighter room.  
  
Inside, several skeletal beasts slept suspended in tanks. They were rather small and cartoonishly disproportionate, almost like babies. "...dad?"  
  
"These eight creatures are living weapons. They are designed to behave like trained animals... and they will only listen to their owners. I want to give both of you four each. Pets, if you will, but pets that can protect you both if I am not around for any reason," Gaster told them, looking at the tanks. "All that is needed now is a sample of your magic to bond them to you."  
  
Curious, Sans approached the tanks. Half of the creatures looked kinda like draconic pups, and the other half looked like wildcat kittens. They were... kinda cute and looked completely non-threatening. "uh, dad? are you sure these are supposed to be weapons?" he asked, laughing.  
  
Gaster chuckled in return, clearly watching as his sons examined their new pets. "I know they do not look like much right now. This is only their base forms and once the bonding process starts, they will age quickly to reflect their masters. You will be able to have them out in their normal forms as pets or summon them as weapons in the form of giant skulls. You will need to practice with them, of course, but I am certain they will be a boon to you both."  
  
Sans and Papyrus both looked over at Gaster, nodding. "So, why do you not pick which set you would each like?"  
  
"you pick, paps, i like them both about equally," Sans quickly said, grinning.  
  
Papyrus hummed, making thoughtful noises as he looked between the draconic pups and the over-sized kittens, and then nodded to himself. "I like these ones best!" he chirped, pointing to the cats.  
  
"okay, bro. then i guess these guys are mine?" he replied, looking to Gaster for confirmation. Gaster nodded.  
  
"Okay, my children. With that out of the way, time to start the bonding process," Gaster told them.  
  
Soon enough, he had the boys in medical gowns, and in another pair of tanks linked to the weapon tanks. Liquid magic filled them and both boys drifted into a peaceful, magic-induced sleep as they began syncing with their new pets.

\--------------------------------------------

Something was wrong and there was nothing Gaster could do to stop it. All he could do was watch in horror as the magic went haywire. The sync had gone into overdrive and instead of just creating a bonding link, the boys were fusing with what was supposed to be their pets instead. By the time he'd realized... it had been too late to stop the process, and attempting to do so could have seriously harmed his sons.  
  
Finally, it was over. One of the pets were completely missing, fused with the boys. The changes were... dramatic to say the least, though not as severe as he'd feared. Fanged teeth, claws, long tails... but otherwise they'd retained their forms. Dreading the reactions of his boys, he slowly drained the tanks.

\--------------------------------------------

Sans groaned as he woke, browridges furrowing. He felt... strange. "...dad?" he called out, voice rasping slightly.  
  
"Right here, Sans," Gaster replied, appearing next to Sans' bed. He looked concerned. Had something happened? "I... am afraid there was a bit of a mishap with the bonding. It had a rather... uh... startling effect on your appearance," Gaster was actually cringing a bit, looking horribly guilty.  
  
"whatever it is, you didn't mean for it to happen, right?" Sans asked.  
  
"...no. This was not supposed to happen at all." The scientist sighed. "Sans... you and Papyrus both merged with one of your pets."  
  
Sans' eyes widened and he lifted his hands. The tips of each phalange were now sharply pointed, like claws. When he sat up and looked at his feet after pushing the blanket away, they were the same. He also noticed a long, whip-like tail draped on the bedding. Concentrating a moment, the appendage lifted and flopped on the bed. "...huh. okay, that's... actually kinda cool? i mean, not cool that things got messed up so badly, but... it could have been way worse."  
  
"You... are taking this rather well..." Gaster replied, nervously.  
  
Sans shrugged. "i went into this not exactly knowing what to expect," he replied. "where's paps?"  
  
"Sleeping, still," Gaster replied, pointing down to where Papyrus lay on the next bed over in the recovery wing. Sans carefully slid out of bed and walked over, clawed toes clicking quietly on the tile floor.  
  
"...huh. are my teeth like that, too?" Sans asked upon getting a better look at his brother. Instead of waiting for an answer, he lifted his hands, prodding at his teeth. "they are. kinda cool." He looked back over at Gaster, raising a brow ridge at the completely floored look on his dad's face. Clearly, he'd been waiting for an explosive reaction. Sans grinned. He was a little worried about Papyrus given the fact that his little bro hadn't woken up yet, but he figured maybe it was just the magic sedative affected him a bit different, given his penchant for not really getting enough sleep lately.  
  
"so, uh... you said we fused with _one_ of them? where are the others?" Sans asked, pulling himself back up onto the bed he'd been sleeping on and watching his tail as he focused on getting it to sway back and forth. He had the worst feeling that it was going to be something that had a mind of its own, much like a dog's tail.  
  
"They are shut up in one of the unused rooms on our floor for now. They woke first and were rather agitated," Gaster replied, still looking and sounding absolutely floored by the lack of negative reaction from Sans. He'd clearly figured the protective older brother would have a fit over this.  
  
"...dad? calm down, i'm not mad. it was an accident, and neither of us are actually hurt. tibia honest, i think my magic reserves are... quite a lot bigger than they were before... so bonus," he told Gaster, patting the adult skeleton on the arm. Gaster looked highly interested in that tidbit of knowledge, and Sans figured that as soon as his dad had confirmed that the two of them were really okay, he'd want to figure out what, exactly, the fusion had done to his magic reserves. That was okay, though. Sans was curious to know his new limits as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus wakes up and has a very happy freak out about his new looks... followed by quickly mastering controlling his new tail. He practices by picking things up with it. Sans is correct in that his tail has a mind of it's own and tends to hit things, knocking them over. He takes to forcefully wrapping it around his leg and pinning it with his pants after he accidentally hits Alphys with it hard enough to bruise her scales. Ouch.
> 
> warning now, part 5 is gonna be a while. it isn't remotely done yet, there's a bunch of details that are giving me grief, and i have at least two gift fics that need writing as well as finishing in-progress chapters from other parts of this series. i am a busy bee. orz


	5. W.D. Gaster - Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sans is 18, Papyrus is 14.  
> Time to end the Gaster arc. Prepare your tissues.

The lab was quiet with the exception of the sounds of tinkering and the occasional sound from one of the four scientists in the room. They were all working hard on various bits of machinery, Sans drifting between a large, complicated piece that glowed with magic and a computer screen with lines of complicated code. Alphys was also drifting between her part and the same computer, and occasionally they'd be staring at the code together before going back to working on their parts.  
  
The machine they were working on together had kinda been his idea, in an off-handed way. Of course, it was Gaster who latched onto the 'brilliant idea' and sought a way to bring it to reality. "if only we could turn back time to before everything went terrible," he'd said. Now, he kinda regretted opening his big mouth. The project was daunting, and he had a big part in helping bring it to life.  
  
His magic had steadily shifted from Cyan to Red over time, and the fusion two years previous had only exacerbated the process that had begun back before he'd been saved by Gaster. Determination was powerful and had allowed humans to control a very specific brand of magic. Monsters couldn't use it, not naturally. But then, Red souls weren't natural in monsters, either. Not even the determination-tainted magic of most of the monsters actually had Red souls.  
  
Sans, on the other hand, was Determined enough that his magic hadn't been forcefully tainted like most monsters. His had shifted naturally when his primary trait had changed from Patience to Determination when he'd been little. He'd been Determined to keep Papyrus safe, happy, and innocent. He'd been Determined to protect his baby brother from the world. It turned out that the purity and strength of his feelings had been enough to naturally shift him to a red-souled monster. Gaster had been astonished when they figured that out.  
  
In turn, it made his magic theoretically perfect for fuelling the time machine they were building. He wasn't sure if he actually did have the human's ability to use time magic, wouldn't even know where to begin on learning it if he did, but if Gaster was correct, the machine they were building could save everyone. All they needed to do was have one of them go back far enough to stop the war from ever happening.  
  
Of course, that was a highly ambitious idea. Sans felt like the best course of action would be to go back to stop Prince Asriel from dying. It would likely mean creating one hell of a paradox, no matter what they did, but it would be worth it, he was sure. If the prince never died, the king would never go nuts and the queen would stay. There would be more opportunity to gain their freedom in better ways.

\--------------------------------------------

When the Machine was finally finished and the test procedures were complete and green-lit, the four of them stood, staring at it with a sense of awe and pride. They'd done this together. A grinning Alyce swooped in and hugged her little sister and Sans, spinning them and laughing before dragging the much taller Gaster into the group hug. Soon enough, all four of them were laughing and talking cheerfully.  
  
Naturally, they were all kind of excited to test the machine, but it was decided that the younger pair would man the emergency controls located outside the room while Gaster, Alyce, and a small handful of the Royal Scientist's most trusted team would handle the direct testing. Sans and Alphys had quite naturally complained shortly before Gaster had calmed them by reminding the pair that they'd be in charge of the safety of everyone in the room. If anything went wrong, it'd be up to them to stop the machine.  
  
And so, the two younger scientists watched from the control room with baited breaths as the older group started the machine up. Gaster was the one who was supposed to do the test, the goal being to jump two minutes into the future. The Machine started, and Gaster input the commands before stepping into the Machine's chamber. The door closed behind him, and that was when all hell broke loose. The Machine began rumbling ominously, and Gaster tried futilely to open the chamber doors and escape. Sans and Alphys, both panicking slightly, fumbled with the emergency controls, but nothing they did worked. The Machine lit up with a bright light, and the last thing Sans heard before he was knocked back into a wall by the shock wave was his father's scream.

\--------------------------------------------

Sans woke with a pained groan, clutching at his head as he sat up. His entire body ached something awful. "what happened...?" he muttered, looking around. Alphys was laying unconscious near him, and as soon as he spotted her, he scrambled over, shaking her shoulder. "alph? wake up!"  
  
She let out a quiet, pained sound as her eyes fluttered, and Sans quickly stopped shaking her. Her eyes opened, and she stared up at him for a moment in baffled confusion before recognition entered her eyes. "...Sans?"  
  
"uh, yeah, who else would i be?" Sans replied, narrowing his sockets slightly before standing up. "stars, how long were we out?" he muttered, looking through the window. The lab on the other side of the shattered glass was empty except for the Machine, smoking in the center of the room. Sans' sockets widened almost painfully. "dad!" he yelped, alarmed as he vaulted over the control panel and through the window. There was absolutely no sign of anyone ever having been in there. He flung open the door of the time machine, only to stare in shocked horror.  
  
The entire inside was blackened, the inner controls fried and sparking both electronically and magically. Silently, he sunk to his knees, crimson tears gathering and spilling from his sockets. Gone. His dad was... gone. Just like that. Alyce and the other scientists were missing, too, it seemed, though he hoped they'd simply escaped the room as was the smart thing.  
  
He heard the crunching of glass under tough, scaled feet a moment later as Alphys joined him, looking confused and lost when he glanced over at her. "Sans...? What is all this...? Where..." He started at the questioning, staring at her in alarm.  
  
"the time machine, alph. your sister and my dad were giving it a test run. did you hit your head or something?" he reminded her, voice a pained whisper. How was he going to tell Pap that they'd lost their father yet again?  
  
"M-my..." Alphys looked perplexed for a moment before shaking her head sharply. "I... how did I forget Alyce and Dr. Gaster...?" Her alarmed confusion jolted Sans and he stared at her.  
  
"...you didn't seem to recognize me for a moment there, either. what about papyrus? did you somehow forget him, too?" he asked, though there was only horrified confusion in his tone.  
  
"Papyrus?" She paused, taking a moment to gather herself. "R-right, your brother," she whispered in growing horror. They were both aware that something was very, _very_ wrong. Alphys' mind was as sharp as a knife. Gaster had said a few times that she'd probably make a fantastic successor to his position as Royal Scientist and had even taught her all about the inner workings of the Core. She wasn't the kind of person who would just... _forget_ people like that, even with a good whack to the head.  
  
"...okay.... okay, so..." Sans started, shaking his head. "whatever happened here when the machine went out of control... we need to figure it out. alphys, i want you to go get pap. the machine is dead, so it should be perfectly safe for him to be in the control room. be careful, though, okay? whatever effected your memory might have done something to everyone else, too."  
  
Alphys nodded sharply. "I'll be back soon, Sans," she told him, then darted off. She tried the door to the lab, then scowled as it refused to open, the control-panel dead. Looking at each other, they both headed back to the control room. Sans helped Alphys back in, then scrambled over the frame himself, ignoring how the shards of glass sliced at his hands and legs. By the time he got in, the door was partly open and Alphys was gone.  
  
"...shit..." he muttered, then got to work at the console, hoping to figure out just what went wrong. As he worked, though, he just got more and more alarmed. The records were all... damaged. Corrupted or a garbled mix of English and Hands. Normally that wouldn't be an issue, but he was struggling to remember how to read Gaster's language. Frustrating, given he had been able to speak and read it fluently after all the years he'd lived with Gaster as his father. He shouldn't be struggling like this.  
  
It was almost like his mind wanted to forget his father. Well, he wasn't going to forget. He Refused.  
  
"...Sans... I think you need to come." Alphys' voice startled him and he jumped, eyes burning crimson as he whirled around. Alphys only started a little at the look on his face, but she was frowning. "I can't get Papyrus to wake up, and the lab is..." she paused, shaking her head, looking unsettled. "...we're the only ones here. You, me, and Papyrus. Can't find your pets, either."  
  
Sans swallowed harshly. The entire lab... there were a lot of scientists working here... and everyone was just... gone? He reached out for his pets, feeling the need for comfort. All three dragon-like creatures materialized around him in a shimmer of crimson magic. The smallest of them snuggled in close, sensing its master's need. The biggest scooped him up in it's huge maw, prompting a slightly hysterical giggle from Alphys as it haughtily started carting him to the door. Her giggle was cut off in a yelp as the middle one scooped her up, too, and soon they were a remarkably silly procession through the eerily empty halls of the lab.  
  
When they arrived in their living area, Sans was both relieved and horrified to see Papyrus laying in a heap on the floor, unconscious. "Pap!" he cried as his pet set him gently down next to the other skeleton. Sans dropped to his knees, marrow-stained hands reaching to shake his brother.  
  
However, before he could touch, Papyrus groaned weakly and rolled over onto his side, sockets fluttering open. "..."  
  
"..p-papyrus?" Sans questioned, worried as the younger skeleton stared blankly at him. His voice seemed to jar Papyrus out of his daze, and he sat up, looking utterly confused.  
  
"...Sans? Where are we?" he asked quietly. Sans stared, shocked. They'd lived here for seven years. How could Papyrus not recognize this place?  
  
"we..." he glanced to Alphys, who sighed nearly silently. As if she already suspected what Sans was about to do, she turned and left the room without a word. Papyrus didn't even seem to notice her, still looking dazed and confused. Sans sighed, dispelling his pets with barely a thought. "we're in the laboratory in hotland, remember? i guess you were too tired to remember breaking in last night, huh?" The lie wasn't as smooth as he'd have liked, but it was probably... much better this way.  
  
If Papyrus remembered Gaster on his own, then he'd explain. But his brother was the sensitive type. It was probably better that whatever happened, he'd forgotten Gaster. Less pain for at least one of them that way.  
  
"i'm gonna go see if i can scrounge up some food before we head out, okay? you just wait here and rest for a while longer," he told the younger. Papyrus nodded, and lay back down on the floor, eyes already closed. Sans stood, leaving the room and shutting the door. He'd have to make sure Pap wasn't wearing his key-card before they left... that'd raise suspicion.  
  
Alphys was waiting outside the room for him, and he quickly motioned for her to follow. They walked a bit before Sans stopped, letting out a shaky sigh. "...shit, i'm sorry, alph..."  
  
"No need. I understand why you're doing what you are. It's probably better this way. You'll remain in touch, won't you?" Alphys replied, smiling shakily.  
  
"yeah, of course! i'm not just gonna abandon you. you're basically my sister," Sans shot back, then slumped against the wall. "there isn't any time to figure out what the hell happened. the records are all fucked, anyway, and whatever messed with pap's memory has damaged mine, too. i've already discovered that reading dad's language is getting... pretty difficult, and you know i was fluent."  
  
"...stars, there's... no way to fix this, is there? They are really all gone, aren't they...?" Alphys asked quietly. Sans nodded. "Question is, why were the three of us spared?"  
  
"good question. you gonna try and answer it?"  
  
"Yeah. But first, I need to make sure I can be here without any issues with King Asgore or the Royal Guard. I need to make sure my memory of how the core functions is intact. Stars, I hope Dr. Gaster's personal records are okay..."  
  
"your robot project should get you into the position of Royal Scientist easily enough. asgore's a fool. he'll probably think you made mettaton's soul, too," Sans snarked with a chuckle.  
  
Alphys laughed softly. "Tricking the king isn't exactly a good thing, Sans!" she chided, but she was smiling. "You are right, however. You and I are the only ones that know the core well enough to maintain it now that everyone else is gone, so I'll need a quick shot into the Royal Scientist position before some quack tries to nudge themselves into a spot of power. Mettaton is as good as anything to get me in fast."  
  
Sans nodded, patting Alphys on the shoulder. "good luck, alph. i'll be rooting for you."  
  
"You too, Sans. Stay safe," Alphys replied, smiling. "Oh, and if you're going, I heard Snowdin is a small town. Should be fairly easy to slip in and take over for a monster as powerful as you are."  
  
"thanks for the tip," Sans replied, grinning. Without another word, the two parted ways, Sans disappearing in a zap of magic and Alphys turning to head for the lower labs.  
  
Over the coming weeks, Sans and Papyrus would establish themselves in the quiet, snowy Village of Snowdin, taking over an empty, run-down house at near the edge of town. News of the new Royal Scientist, Alphys, who reportedly created a soul would reach the small village soon after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and with that, the Gaster arc is done. :)  
> ...i don't really feel up to editing right now, but i'm pretty sure it's fine. if you see anything glaring, lemme know and i'll fix it. haha
> 
> oh, also! this fic will be going on Prompt Entry mode from here on out. if you want to know anything from _any_ point in their lives from the time Sans was born to the point Red gets himself zapped to Underswap, send me a prompt, and i'll do my best to write about it.  
>  i might also be willing to write Edge stuff post Red's jump to Underswap, though that's less likely.


End file.
